Lashley defeats Brock Lesnar by DQ in flat finish

Bobby Lashley defeated Brock Lesnar by disqualification in a short but entertaining match with a disappointing ending. Lesnar was treated as the babyface headed into this game and received an enthusiastic reaction from the Montreal crowd. But it was a low blow during the Hurt Lock that brought an abrupt end to an action-packed match – one where Lashley was kicked out of multiple F-5s.

Lesnar finished Lashley with an F-5 through the table.

Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley’s three-game series saw Lashley take on the heel role amid teasing from a Hurt Business meeting. Recent WWE Raw broadcasts have featured the MVP approaching Lashley to reunite the heel stable, while later backstage segments have shown the MVP in deep discussion with former and future Hurt Business members Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin.

Alexander and Benjamin recently resurfaced on television, defeating Alpha Academy on the February 6, 2023 WWE Raw broadcast.

Lashley’s slow-burning heel turn came as Lesnar continually attacked the former WWE Champion. Monday night on Raw, Lashley – flanked by security – brought his own table to a contract signing. Fighting off chants of “Bobby’s scared,” Lashley’s heel turn was all but solidified.

With WWE heavily teasing a Hurt Business reunion, there’s no better time than the present. The return of The Hurt Business during Black History Month almost makes too much sense.

Bray Wyatt appears to be the next roadblock for Lashley. On Friday Night SmackDown, Wyatt essentially challenged Lashley’s winner against Lesnar. With Wyatt’s return drawing polarizing reviews despite his popularity and strong merchandise sales, a star like Lashley will be a real litmus test for just how much of a starring role Wyatt’s Uncle Howdy gimmick has in the event. Wyatt’s previous feud with LA Knight drew lukewarm reviews, with their Pitch Black match one of the most forgettable aspects of an otherwise strong Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Even before he returned, Wyatt’s Fiend incarnation was guilty of belittling every babyface that dared cross his path. Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, and Randy Orton all walked into Crazy Town as they feuded with Wyatt and came away with major damage.

If Wyatt can’t pull a quality feud out of Bobby Lashley and The Hurt Business, there may be no hope. Similar to his initial rise as The Fiend, Wyatt remains loaded with potential to become one of WWE’s biggest draws, but he continues to be hampered by overambitious storytelling and poor following. With WWE firing on all cylinders this season of WrestleMania and the excuses drying up like AEW’s viewership, Wyatt is fast approaching now-or-never territory.